Comments on: Stop Before You Stomp

By: TL

TL — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:20:34 +0000

It does resemble. Not really fair to the gardener.
I don’t know about the photos–I’m still getting used to our new host.
I heard somewhere that aside from larval forms of insects, once an insect is it’s adult form that’s as big as it ever gets. But I need to look that up to be sure.

By: Kalinda

Kalinda — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:52:45 +0000

Hmm, now I AM confused. The Mexican Bean Beetle looks an awful lot like a ladybug. I have a picture of our little bug (saw more today so grabbed the camera) but I don’t think we can post pictures here anymore.
I’ve seen those tiny little wasps around our backyard. I thought they were just baby wasps that would get bigger, but by the sounds of it, thats as big as they’ll get. Kinda cute!

By: TL

TL — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:51:10 +0000

That wasn’t fair. They do enough damage outside, they should respect the indoor boundary. Any idea how they got in? Wow, I don’t know what to say, other than to be vigilant and wash the suckers off at the first sign of them. Anyone else out there solve this problem?

By: Erin

Erin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:31:26 +0000

The great aphid invasion destroyed all my seedlings (in my basement, no less!), but we’re doing great with store-bought (darn it!). Any tips on how to prevent said invasion next spring?

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:47:43 +0000

TL, you’re welcome to come to my imaginary farm anytime. It’s beautiful here.

By: TL

TL — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:51:38 +0000

I don’t believe they have a problem coexisting with honeybees. They aren’t aggressive and apparently will only sting if you’re manhandling them. Not likely, hunh? And they are tiny, too.
I like your imaginary farm. May I come and visit?

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:29:50 +0000

Oh dearie me…

Now you have me thinking. Tell me, dear ladies, do these magical black wasps interfere with a) honeybees or b) my skin in any stinging unpleasant sort of way? If so I would prefer ladybugs. If not, this is sick, and also (therefore?) awesome.

Not that you have to answer anytime soon. I currently live in a condo and so my bee-hive, like my garden, currently resides only in that delightful place I call Imaginary Land. Along with my Jersey cows, my heritage breed piglets, my raspberry brambles, my walnut trees, my summer kitchen, my Easter egg hens, Prince Harry, and our six (count ‘em, imaginarily! Six!) children.

By: TL

TL — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:43:08 +0000

Beneficial ladybugs can be yellow. To be on the safe side, take a look at this and make sure it’s not a Mexican bean beetle:
http://wiki.bugwood.org/Mexican_bean_beetle

By: Kalinda

Kalinda — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:40:20 +0000

Ew, I thought about that too much.
Are yellow ladybugs just as beneficial, or only the red ones? I saw a yellow one in the (first) yellow-orange blossom on a zuchhini plant today. I didn’t know if I should’ve shoo’d it away.

By: TL

TL — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:20:32 +0000

Yes, the ladybugs just seem more . . . lady-like.